It is really not good at all. Talented artist, yes, but very inappropriate for a neighborhood and very ghetto. It is a shame that talent can't be harnessed for good, teaching children art, something very constructive. There should be a consensus in a neighborhood when someone makes a bold move like this. Property values around this building just dropped a ton.

Looks like the subject caught a fist in the eye. Pictures of beat up women really help to define "ghetto."

Questionably "art."

Probably a "negative" to the neighborhood.

Thanks for bringing down the value of my home.

Maybe we should add some empty beer cans, cognac bottles, take-out styrofoam food containers, a few crack bags and maybe some dog crap to really enhance the "ghetto' effect the "artist" was looking for. How about adding a BORF tag as well as a gang tag or two while we are at it.

People should mind there own business. It is their home and they shoud be able to do what they pleased. I have seen homes that I did not care for the paint color but it is the person home they have to pay the mortgage. What is ghetto! I guess it anything that is not fitting with the norm.

When I caught a glimpse of the mural from afar, I was initially excited to see it. That is of course because I incorrectly assumed that if someone was going to paint such a huge mural on the side of their house that it would be something uplifting, relevant, motivational, etc. My feelings totally changed when I got a full view. I'm not sure what it's supposed to depict but it depresses me and I'm glad that I can't see it from any of my windows!

It is out of place and too large. Since it affects the whole neighborhood and probably will influence the value or sale of the houses that can not help but see it hopefully there was discussion of it before it was put up. I do not understand what it represents.

This is unlike a paint color for a house that someone may not like. The mural is suppose to make a statement and I do not know what that statement is.

really, all of you people who are willing to say really negative things about this anonymously are acting cowardly. at least give us a pseudonym so we know which of you to rebut when making ridiculous claims about how this will affect your home value.

and indiscriminate use of the term "ghetto" to describe this is patently lazy intellectually and arguably offensive. try coming back with a more persuasive argument, please.

i'd say this mural adds nothing but interest to the neighborhood! it's a welcome, well-done diversion. those of you who are doing nothing but complain sound like a pack of fuddy-duddys. i'd say, lighten up!

I just found out this was done with public money. This is not just the homeowner expressing herself. Public funds, what about the public input.

For those who object to my expressing my view - You should know that everyone does not like all art and we have a right to like or dislike the mural. It does not appeal to me but if you would like to tell us about the public input that should be required when public funds are expended then I will not say another word about it. I will know that I missed the opportunity to comment.

I'm glad you are discussing this. When they first blocked the alley to paint the brickwall, I hoped it was something that would be appealing. To my disappointment, it was a picture of a beaten-up kickboxer with stars everywhere (even the ironbars had 'em).

It's too bad because it was done on unpainted bricks. So much for historic beauty. I live up on 1st Street NW and it's pretty much out of my sight as well. I just hope others won't follow her mistake though.

Some involved with the project hoped - and this is paraphrased, hopefully correctly - that we might see the mural as taking control, empowering our selves or empowering our neighborhood. Perhaps even fighting back at some the "evils" mentioned here or evils discussed in other neighborhood blogs, emails or PSA meetings. Thats not what I saw at first, and still not exactly what I see, but I can see how someone else could have that opinion.

With regards to lowering property values - A couple realtors who's educated opinions were asked didnt think it would lower values. Are any of you Realtors? Perhaps the houses that directly face the mural *may* be effected if they cannot find a buyer who likes, respects, or at least is indifferent the work.

Call me Polly Anna - but I would wager to say all this negative talk will cause more harm than the mural itself.

Do I like it? Do I think it fits Bloomingdale? Do I agree with some of the other entries? Does my opinion matter? Probably not, certainly not to you - but it does to me - because I see it directly from several of my windows.

I'm not nuts about aspects of it either, but it should not have to tear our wonderful neighborhood apart. Our neighborhood has bigger problems to deal with still. Plus, has anyone noticed how awesome and vibrant the colors are?

I feel most sorry for the houses on the East side of the 2200 Block of First Street. These people have to look at the Graffiti every day.

I also find it interesting that this particular homeowner decided to paint this monstrosity on the side of her house, all while the rest of her house is in need of desperate repair. The fence is falling down, the garage is covered in gang tagging, and the paint on the house itself has chipped away so much that the wood underneath is sure to rot.

I'll admit that I'd prefer something else, but I hardly think it is 'fugly' or 'ghetto'. It is art and art is subjective. No matter what the artist did, there would be people who didn't like it.

I'm not such a fan of the tone of some of these comments and to the joker who felt the need to post IMGoph's full name and residence (and my residence as well, for that matter)... I think you missed the point that IMGoph is perfectly fine with people maintaining their anonymity, but as a matter of process it is difficult to respond to specific arguments when so many are posted under the same name: "anonymous"... he is just saying pick a name or a number (might I suggest "Mr(s). Smith", "John Doe" or "12345") so that I don't have to call you "the joker who..."

And for people who are screaming about their property values, get a grip! There are controversial murals in all kinds of neighborhoods. This is hardly going to lower anyones property values. Maybe they should spend their time complaining about the vacants in the neighborhood and the f'n shootings!

I will admit a little sadness at losing some virgin brick (which is very difficult to bring back), but it's not the end of the world and certainly won't keep me up at night (like, say, the gunshots I can hear from over North Cap)

Use the words "public funds" and everyone thinks they are entitled to determine exactly where each dime goes. The naivete of that is staggering. This is DC, don't you know any better?

You want to ADD to the bureaucracy and let people who have zero experience in a matter have ultimate sway?

The money for "public art" in DC comes solely and directly from developers. It is the 1% for the arts program. It is not your tax money. You have contributed nothing.

You elected Fenty. He appoints a totally inartistic head of DCCAH. Where is the outcry there? No, the outcry is over some paint on an alley wall. That has gotten more coverage than the lady that caused Dream to go bankrupt. un real.

It is this kind of mentality that is the reason we do not have the healthy public art programs that Chicago, or Arlington, or Philly have. Too many people think they should control it yet they dont look at the big picture. Every DCCAH project gets dumped on by neighbors that think they know better and it makes the commission hesitant to take real chances. The good public art in dc comes from departments that don't have to answer to you. And that's why they're better.

You don't like the boxer girl? That is fine, you don't have to.move on. Help out an artist you like to get the next commission. Go forward and do something positive, rather than try to get this piece covered up and cause even more tension in this community, ruin relationships with neighbors and mess up an artists life.

There will be a meeting soon where the community will vote to have this art destroyed. The bully neighborhood politics of DC is disgusting.

But i bet many of ya'll would be all over any tacky signage whole foods would want to put up if they said they would move to Mcmillan, yeah?

How much you think this mural cost?Adding the stripes on first street cost more. Did anyone even blink when they said they would do that?

How much other money is spent every day on things far worse than a painting?I can't even fathom the answer to that.

I'm baffled. The DCCAH Public Arts Program usually follows Best Practices for this kind of thing, which involves a meeting with neighbors to show them the preliminary design before it is realized. This allows the artist to adjust the design to take community values into account in the final product.

The people posting as ANONYMOUS cowards on this blog are the biggest bunch of WINO, RACIST FUCK HEADS I've ever encountered.

How are earth is this mural RACIST? Is it racist because it's an African American woman boxing? That is MAKEUP she is wearing not a black eye. Did you ever think that this could actually have a POSITIVE message. Encouraging young, black females to stand up for themselves and FIGHT for something they believe it? Shouldn't we be embracing this artist's courage to express themselves as opposed to calling them derogatory names?

Look at other major US cities who actually EMBRACE murals such as Philadelphia, NYC, and San Francisco. Would you call those cities RACIST? WAKE UP PEOPLE THIS IS AMERICA. FREEDOM? HELLO? WTF?!

If you don't like it, I'd like to see YOU paint something better or have the courage to stand up and express yourself instead of cowardly insulting people over the internet.

If you are not ready to support DC in a new era of making PROGRESS towards a UNITED country then GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE. WE DON'T WANT YOU LIVING HERE EITHER.

You would think electing a black president would unite this country, but instead it has exposed the bunch of IGNORANT stupid ass white people for what they really are deep at heart.